Are you secretly ruining your lenses? Quiz

Discover common lifestyle habits that can affect the health of your contact lenses and eyeglasses, and learn the best practices to keep your vision clear and your eyes safe.

1. Hand Hygiene Before Lenses

   What should you always do before touching your contact lenses to avoid transferring dirt or germs to your eyes?

   1. Blow on your lenses
   2. Rub eyes gently
   3. Use hand sanitizer alone
   4. Wash and dry your hands

   Explanation: Washing and drying your hands removes dirt, oils, and germs that could cause infections. Gently rubbing your eyes or blowing on lenses does not clean your hands. Hand sanitizer alone may leave residues that could irritate eyes or lenses.

2. Rinsing Lenses

   Can you rinse your contact lenses with tap water when cleaning or inserting them?

   1. Only bottled water is safe
   2. Yes, if the water looks clean
   3. No, tap water can carry germs that may cause serious eye infections
   4. Yes, but only for hard lenses

   Explanation: Tap water may contain microorganisms, such as Acanthamoeba, which can cause serious eye infections. Even clear or bottled water is unsafe for rinsing lenses. Hard lenses are also susceptible to contamination from tap water.

3. Proper Lens Solution

   What is the safest liquid to use for cleaning and storing soft contact lenses?

   1. Tear drops
   2. Bottled drinking water
   3. Saline made at home
   4. Fresh, appropriate contact lens disinfecting solution

   Explanation: Only fresh, commercially prepared contact lens solution is formulated to eliminate germs and clean lenses. Homemade saline and bottled water lack disinfecting properties, and tear drops are not meant for cleaning or storing lenses.

4. Lens Solution Maintenance

   Why is 'topping off' old solution in your contact lens case a bad idea?

   1. It extends the life of the solution
   2. It keeps the lenses more comfortable
   3. It reduces disinfecting power and increases infection risk
   4. It removes lens protein deposits

   Explanation: Mixing new solution with old weakens the disinfecting effectiveness, increasing the risk of infection. It does not improve comfort, prolong the solution's life, or clean protein deposits efficiently.

5. Replacing Lens Cases

   How often should you ideally replace your contact lens case to prevent contamination?

   1. About every 3 months
   2. Only when it looks dirty
   3. Every week
   4. Once per year

   Explanation: Replacing your lens case every three months helps prevent bacterial build-up and lowers infection risk. Waiting until it looks dirty or replacing weekly is less effective or unnecessary; yearly replacement is too infrequent.

6. Handling Contact Lens Discomfort

   What should you do if you experience pain, strong redness, or sensitivity to light while wearing contact lenses?

   1. Remove the lenses immediately and get your eyes checked promptly
   2. Wait until the symptoms improve on their own
   3. Switch to glasses after your next scheduled break
   4. Add more rewetting drops and keep wearing them

   Explanation: These symptoms suggest a serious problem such as infection or injury. Immediate removal and prompt examination reduce the risk of complications. Waiting, adding drops, or delaying intervention is unsafe.

7. Signs of Dry or Worn-Out Lenses

   What is a common sign your contact lenses are too dry or need replacing?

   1. Hearing a whistling sound
   2. Sudden double vision
   3. Burning, gritty feeling, or blurred vision that improves after removing them
   4. Increased color vision

   Explanation: Dry, worn-out lenses often cause discomfort that is relieved upon removal. Changes in color or double vision are less typical, and hearing changes are unrelated to lens wear.

8. Safest Way to Clean Glasses

   What is the safest method to clean eyeglass lenses without scratching or damaging them?

   1. Wipe with paper towels
   2. Rub lenses with tissue paper
   3. Rinse with water, use lens cleaner or mild soap, then wipe with a microfiber cloth
   4. Polish with your shirt sleeve

   Explanation: Proper cleaning removes particles with water before gently wiping with a microfiber cloth to prevent scratches. Tissue, shirts, and paper towels can trap debris and scratch the lenses.

9. Cleaning with Fabrics and Tissues

   What can happen if you regularly clean your glasses with tissues or your shirt?

   1. Frame color changes
   2. Lenses become more hydrophobic
   3. Fine scratches can build up and reduce clarity
   4. Lenses become shatterproof

   Explanation: Tissues and shirts are abrasive and can cause micro-scratches, ultimately making lenses look cloudy. They don't improve lens strength, affect frame color, or alter water resistance.

10. Glasses and Heat Exposure

    Why should you keep your glasses away from high heat, like leaving them on a car dashboard?

    1. The lenses will change color permanently
    2. Heat can warp frames and damage lens coatings
    3. Frames absorb dust more quickly
    4. Glasses will become too cold to wear

    Explanation: Exposure to high temperatures can deform plastic frames and cause coatings to peel or crack. Glasses won't become cold in heat, nor will lenses change color or attract more dust due to temperature.